


Big Heart, Little Feet

by Anubis_2701



Series: SakuAtsu Fluff Week 2021 [6]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anthropology, Cute Kids, Dating, Exhaustion, First Dates, Fluff, Getting Together, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Medical Conditions, Meet-Cute, Museums, Parenthood, Sick Character, Single Parent Miya Atsumu, Soft Sakusa Kiyoomi, temporarily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:20:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29175564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anubis_2701/pseuds/Anubis_2701
Summary: To say Miya Atsumu was wary of dating was an understatement. After being rejected countless times simply for being a father with a daughter to care for, he had just about given up finding love with another attractive 20-something.Thenhe stumbles upon Sakusa Kiyoomi, a quirky anthropologist who isn't bothered at all by the prospect of dating a single parent.Maybe trying love one last time wouldn't be the worst thing after all.
Relationships: Miya Atsumu & Miya Osamu, Miya Atsumu & Original Female Character(s), Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi
Series: SakuAtsu Fluff Week 2021 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2115333
Comments: 5
Kudos: 267





	Big Heart, Little Feet

**Author's Note:**

> SakuAtsu Fluff Week 2021: Day 6, Tier 2 - Single Parent AU
> 
> Many thanks to [May](https://archiveofourown.org/users/May_Flowers) for betaing this for me!!! <3

****"Daddy! Daddy! I punched Takeshita in the face!”

Atsumu blinked, eyes swivelling between Akiko and her exasperated-looking teacher. “Ya…oh, okay, honey. Why did ya punch him?”

Akiko shrugged, brushing dirt off her blue dress casually. “I dunno, felt like it.”

Atsumu closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before turning an apologetic look at little Takeshita’s parents. “…Right. Sweetheart, ya can’t just punch people because ya don’t like ‘em.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” Atsumu said, kneeling down so they were face to face, reaching out to ruffle her hair, “would ya like it if Takeshita punched ya in the face just because?”

Akiko averted her eyes, pouting. Atsumu steeled himself against her puppy-dog eyes, wishing she hadn’t inherited his ability to convince people of just about anything. “…No…” she mumbled. Atsumu cocked his head to the side, smiling sadly at her.

“Exactly,” he said gently, “and ya shouldn’t be mean to other people, Aki.”

“Okayyy…”

“Do ya think ya should go apologise to Takeshita?”

Akiko sucked in a big breath, exhaling with a huff. “… _Yes._ ”

“Go on then,” he said, gently nudging her towards the boy, who still had some dirt on his face (undoubtedly from her fist) and tears at the corners of his eyes. Akiko gave another great, over dramatic sigh, and marched over to apologise. Atsumu silently prayed it didn’t end with her biting someone again. He straightened up, rubbing at the bridge of his nose before turning to face Takeshita’s parents, who had also been called in. “…I’m sorry fer my daughter.”

“Ahh, kids will be kids,” Takeshita’s mother said with a small, amused laugh, “Iwao will be fine, anyway, so don’t worry about it.”

“Well, _I’d_ prefer if you disciplined your daughter a little more harshly,” Takeshita’s father said, shaking his head at Atsumu, “this is the third time she has attacked our son in some regard.”

“I’m aware,” Atsumu sighed, eyes drifting to his watch to ensure he had enough time to run back to work before his meeting started. “And I’m sorry for that. I can only tell ya that Akiko usually doesn’t hit people unless they do somethin’ to her first.”

“Don’t blame your inability to discipline her on our Iwao,” Takeshita’s father sniffed, “you may be too inexperienced to properly enforce rules for your child, but we are not. Iwao is not an aggressor.”

_Inexperienced, right. Not like I’ve been the one who’s devoted the majority of his time to Akiko since she was born, definitely not._ He pressed his lips together to keep the words from escaping. He was too damn tired for this.

“That’s enough, Kai,” Takeshita’s mother murmured, shooting Atsumu an apologetic look as Akiko ran over from where she seemed to have actually successfully apologized to Takeshita, and barrelled into his leg, gripping the fabric of his pants. “Anyway, we will be seeing you, Miya-san.”

He smiled tightly, reaching down to ruffle his daughter’s hair again as she peered up at him. “See ya.”

“Can we get ice-cream?” Akiko asked, taking his hand. Atsumu sighed, squeezing slightly.

“We can tomorrow if ya don’t punch anybody at school.”

“But Daddyyyyy-”

“No buts, please, Aki,” Atsumu sighed, ruffling her hair with his free hand. Akiko paused, looking up at him curiously. For how young she was, the kid was already terrifyingly observant. She could always tell whenever Atsumu was having a down day, as much as he tried to hide it and present his usual, unflappable façade.

“Up!” she demanded, lifting her arms and wiggling them above her head. Atsumu chuckled, grabbing her around the middle and scooping her up, settling her against his hip. She smiled with satisfaction, grabbing at his jacket with tiny hands and nuzzling into the side of his chest. He felt his heart melt as he smiled down at her, tugging lightly on one of her ponytails.

“What would I do without ya, huh?” he chuckled.

* * *

_“Get here, please.”_

_The call cut off, Atsumu still staring blankly at the phone. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears, hand trembling slightly as the gravity of the situation hit. He wasn’t ready for this. He’d had months and months and he’d thought he would be able to do this, but he wasn’t._

You need to do it, though.

_“Ya alright?” Osamu asked, looking at him with a curiously raised eyebrow. Atsumu swallowed, lowering his phone and stowing it away in his pocket, turning to his twin with shaking hands._

_“It’s, uh, fuck, it was Kahori,” he said, voice shaking, “she, uhh-”_

_“Is she-”_

_“Yeah,” he breathed, turning his eyes to the ground, “Samu, I can’t-”_

_“You can,” Osamu said, hands gripping Atsumu’s shoulders, forcing him to make eye contact, “yer been preparing for this for months, aight? I’ve seen how determined ya are to do this right.”_

_“But what if I fuck it up?” he whispered. Osamu’s grip tightened._

_“Tsumu, ya won’t.” his brother assured him. “Ya_ won’t _. Now we’re gonna go to that hospital, and yer gonna meet ya daughter, alright?”_

_Atsumu took a deep breath, nodding cautiously. “…Alright.”_

* * *

“…and he paid fer my dinner and everythin’, and he complimented me a ton and walked me home…so he might be slightly into me?”

Atsumu stared at his brother. “Samu, yer’ve achieved peak fuckin’ stupidity.”

“What?” Osamu said with a groan as his fingers continued to deftly make onigiri, brow scrunching in confusion. “It’s hard to tell with Suna, alright-”

“I shoulda swallowed ya in the womb,” Atsumu muttered, rubbing his temples. “Suna’s been in love with ya since high school, dumbass. Just go confess to him and make out or whatever.”

Osamu wrinkled up his nose, even as his eyes betrayed how wistful he was for a nauseating scene like that. Atsumu rolled his eyes good-naturedly at his brother, watching as Suna, standing on the opposite end of the store, and thus luckily out of earshot, played a game of tag with Akiko through the many tables while she shrieked with delight. He smiled softly at the sight.

He had known Suna had his eyes on Osamu for years now – something he had only been actively trying to bring to his brother’s attention since he was 22 or so. Atsumu had always liked Suna, of course – the guy was one of his best friends in the world – but he was also all too happy to thoroughly vet anyone who came near his brother. He’d known since they were little that Osamu wanted a lot of things out of any potential life partner, so Atsumu had subjected Suna to more than a little scrutiny over whether his own goals aligned with those of his twin.

One of the sticking points with his brother, as Atsumu had remembered, was kids. Osamu had always loved kids – the way he’d fawned over Akiko the day she was born (and every day after that) – was proof enough of that. But Suna had always seemed torn on the topic, which had made him more than a little wary about things.

Until, of course, Atsumu had needed someone to watch Akiko, back when she was just a little baby, and Osamu, Kita and Aran, who usually rose to the task more than happily, had all been busy. Suna had risen to the occasion with a small amount of reluctance. Atsumu had been cautious about leaving her, especially with someone who boasted no experience with children, but he trusted Suna, so he’d let him be.

He’d come back to find Suna practically melting at every little coo Akiko made, bouncing her with a wide grin on his face, and spewing out so much baby talk it stopped him dead in his tracks.

He’d given Suna his blessing to go after Osamu, after that. The guy had still been taking things slow, though – agonizingly so – but after all his meddling, Atsumu could hardly complain.

“Well, what about ya?” Osamu pointed out, raising an eyebrow at him, “Fer someone who was such a romance aficionado in high school, ya sure haven’t been on any dates recently.”

Atsumu winced. “Yah, whatever. Don’t try to turn the conversation around. Ya know I’m right.”

Osamu picked up on his slightly testy tone and let the subject drop, turning his attention back to his work. “Anyway, ya got anythin’ planned fer yer week off?”

Atsumu grinned at the thought. He worked as a history and English teacher at a nearby high school, and with the kids in his class being granted a week off school to study for their upcoming exams, he too was permitted to work from home.

“There’s an exhibit at the museum that Akiko wants to go see. It’s about dinosaurs and shit. ‘Sides, there’re some exhibits I wanna see myself, too.”

“Nice,” Osamu chuckled, “and feel free to drop Akiko around if ya need a day to just pass out on the couch and watch tv.”

“…I’ll keep it in mind,” Atsumu said after his twin affixed him with a stony look. “I’m gettin’ plenty of rest, Samu, I promise.”

“Ya better be,” he grumbled, “But yah, I can take Akiko on Wednesday, if ya want a day off.” Atsumu hesitated, ready to decline despite all of his recent promises. Osamu rolled his shoulders back, “lemme rephrase. I’m gonna take Akiko on Wednesday. ‘Cause she’s my niece, and I like spendin’ time with her.”

“Samu, I really-”

“Need a break, yer right,” Osamu muttered, “just give in, Tsumu. I don’t wanna have another heart attack because ya ain’t taking care of yerself.”

Atsumu winced. Right. He’d forgotten how much value his brother put on him being well-rested, now.

“Fine.”

* * *

_“Daddy?”_

_Everything looked strangely fuzzy around him, his head practically splitting open with pain. Akiko was standing in front of him, he vaguely registered, though her entire appearance was distorted and speckled with spiralling black spots. He tried to lift his head, baffled as to where exactly he was, wincing when his head slammed back down to the ground._

_“Aki…” he groaned, tongue thick in his mouth and words slurred. His entire body felt like it had been replaced with lead, limbs heavy and eyelids falling ever further._

_“Daddy!” Aki yelled again, eyes wide and watery now. He wriggled, the slight motion enough to punch fatigue deep into his bones. He sucked in another breath, even that small motion seeming like a labour, and tried to stretch out a hand to grab his 3-year-old daughter’s hand, to assure her that everything would be okay. Akiko squirmed, looked at him, then turned on her heel and ran off._

_His eyes roved aimlessly over the part of the room he could see. He was on the floor, he realised as his eyelids sagged again. Why was he on the floor?_

_Akiko stumbled back into his line of vision, his phone clutched in her tiny hands. She placed it on the floor and, with intense concentration, dialled 119._

_He let his eyes flutter shut as he heard a voice ring out from the other end. “Hello, emergency services, how can I help?”_

_“My daddy’s on the fwoor,” Akiko said, reaching over to gently pat the side of Atsumu’s head as he groaned softly, “he fell over and looks really sweepy.”_

_The response was muffled and indistinct, even as Atsumu fought to stay conscious, to keep an eye on his daughter. She babbled away at the phone, sometimes screwing up her face in confusion. He groaned again, loudly enough this time that she heard. “You okay, Daddy, you okay,” she declared, patting him harder. He forced his eyes open wider as the voice filtering through the phone spoke again._

_“Sweetheart, I need the number of your house, okay?”_

_“I…dunno whats the number is,” Akiko said, expression becoming distressed. Atsumu lifted his head perhaps a half-inch off the floor, vision bleary, as he tiredly croaked out the number and street. Akiko listened carefully, repeating his words carefully to the operator as his vision swam and his head thumped back down on the floor. “Okay! They comin’ Daddy!”_

_He reached out blindly again as black spots transformed into an intrusive wave of darkness, just barely comprehending his daughter’s hand sliding into his before his awareness vanished._

Exhaustion _, a frowning doctor had explained hours later, when he awoke in hospital with Akiko curled up at his side, Osamu and Kita both with pale and drawn expressions, and several IV lines connected to him. He had pushed his body far,_ far _beyond its limits and collapsed as a result._

_It made sense; he’d been studying to complete his education certification, working two jobs and taking care of Akiko completely solo at the time. It would have been too much for any reasonable person._

_He’d expected a raging lecture from Osamu, after the doctor slipped away and Kita took Akiko to get some food. But his twin had just silently shaken for a moment, and broken down._

_“Ya ain’t doing this again, Tsumu,” he’d declared with a raw voice and eyes that burned into him. “If ya need help with Akiko, just ask. All ya gotta do is ask, alright? Ya really think I won’t go outta my way to make time fer you two?”_

_“I’m sorry,” he’d murmured through the oxygen mask strapped to his face as a cautionary measure. Osamu had just shaken his head._

_“I shoulda realised how much pressure ya were under,” his twin murmured, “I know ya wanna raise Akiko yerself, alright, but if ya need help, I’ll offer it, okay? Always.”_

_“…Okay.”_

* * *

“Daddy, look! Stegoosarras!”

“It’s a _Stegosaurus_ , munchkin,” Atsumu laughed as Akiko pulled him along by the hand, staring at the massive fossils with an open mouth and bugged-out eyes. He fished his phone out of his pocket when she let go of his hand to get a closer look, chuckling and taking a few pictures of her wide-eyed wonder, sending a few to Osamu and his other friends.

_Awww_ , was a typical response, as was Suna’s _can u get a pic of her inside a mouth somehow_. He rolled his eyes good-naturedly and followed Akiko as she wandered down another hallway.

_Must be the anthropology section_ , he realised as his eyes skimmed over some of the information panels. He kept an ear open as he read, listening while Akiko _oohed_ and _ahhed_ over a large sculpture of a neanderthal. Atsumu watched her press her nose against the plexiglass in front of another large fossil, breath fogging up the glass before she peeled away, glanced back at him to ensure he was still nearby, and ran off to look at other exhibits.

He enjoyed a few moments of quiet, reading over some of the plaques eagerly as Akiko’s shuffling footsteps echoed around the room. Then-

“Are ya a _prince?_ ” she suddenly exclaimed after a loud and lengthy gasp. Atsumu shut his eyes for a moment, wondering who she had decided to approach at random and talk to now, before spinning around as a low voice replied to her.

“Sorry to say I’m not,” the voice chuckled as Atsumu finally pinpointed their voices, blinking. The person Akiko had decided to walk up to – something he had tried many, many times to get her to stop doing, but alas, stranger danger didn’t seem to be in her vocabulary – was an _incredibly_ handsome man probably around his own age, tall and lean with curly black hair, round glasses perched on his nose, and a friendly smile.

“So, yer a princess, then!” Akiko declared, evidently having come to some kind of conclusion about her personal line of succession in her head – to date, it went chef, mailman, queen, prince, princess, pandas, king, and finally, Teletubbies – and smiling happily. The man smiled.

“Ah, you’ve discovered my secret,” he lamented, giving her an almost conspiratorial smile, “you see, people aren’t supposed to know, but _you_ were smart enough to figure it out all by yourself.”

Akiko practically bloomed under the praise, bouncing on her feet as Atsumu started to approach the pair. “I know!”

“Sorry,” Atsumu chuckled as he neared, Akiko letting out a delighted noise and latching onto his leg again, “my daughter’s very friendly.”

“It’s no worry,” the man said, waving a hand. Atsumu noted a nametag on him that declared his name was Sakusa, “she’s very sweet.”

“And far too happy to talk to strangers,” he laughed, tugging on one of her ears as she squealed in objection, “I’m sorry if she interrupted yer work.”

“Not at all. It’s my job to talk to the people who come through here, after all,” Sakusa said, before gesturing to the exhibits around them. “Did you have any questions?”

“…I was actually curious about one of them,” Atsumu said sheepishly, pointing out one of the exhibits he had been reading about, taking Akiko’s hand to ensure she didn’t run off again. Sakusa just straightened, looking keen to explain. Atsumu listened attentively as the man, who explained he was an anthropologist, laid out the history and complexity behind the exhibit. His words were riveting, but Atsumu wouldn’t deny that equally fascinating was the way the light caught his ink-dark curls, and how his eyes crinkled at the corners with excitement.

He turned his eyes back to the exhibit forcefully. No, he wouldn’t put himself through that again.

“Daddy! Can I go look at that one?” Akiko piped up after a few minutes of patiently waiting with them, pointing at an exhibit down the other end of the room. He squinted at her jokingly for a minute.

“Alright, honey, but stay where I can see ya.”

She whooped with delight, pulling her hand free and running down the other end of the hall. Sakusa chuckled behind him.

“She really is cute,” he said, “how old is she?”

“Six in a month or so,” Atsumu said with a grin, “and that habit o’ hers to declare people royalty is only gettin’ stronger.”

“Ahh, don’t worry, I took it as a compliment,” Sakusa said.

“Ya should,” Atsumu said, glancing at him from the corner of his eye, “she only ever says that to really attractive people, after all.”

Sakusa’s eyes widened ever so slightly, “Ahh. Definitely a compliment, then,” he considered something, then turned slightly to face Atsumu. “Attractive according to her standards, or yours?”

_Oh_ , this felt like flirting. Well, it wouldn’t be harmful to partake, he thought. He grinned slightly. “Well, she’s got a good eye, I’ll never deny that. We both got a taste for dark hair, though.”

The other man definitely seemed to be blushing now. “Right, uh, was there anything else you wanted more information on?”

_Your number, maybe._ He shook the thought out of his head. “Nah, I’ve taken up enough of yer time already, I think. Thanks, though, yer real good at explaining this stuff.”

“You’re very welcome,” he said with a smile, nodding down the hall, “you might want to go grab her. She’s trying to climb the exhibit wall.”

“Wha-” he spun around to see Akiko a half metre off the ground, clinging to the fence designed to keep people out. “Akiko! Get down from there!” he shot Sakusa an apologetic look. “I’ll go grab her, god, sorry.”

He raced over to Akiko with her complaints and Sakusa’s soft laughter echoing in his ears.

* * *

_“I just can’t do this, alright? I was trying to be the bigger person here, but what you’re asking is unreasonable.”_

_“Askin’ that we don’t see each other every day because I gotta kid to look after is unreasonable?” Atsumu said, anger bubbling in his gut even as disappointment mingled with it in equal measure. He had actually liked this guy. “I told ya when we first met that she’s my first priority, and ya said ya could deal with that.”_

_“I thought I knew what I was getting into, but this is way more, okay? She takes up all of your time-”_

_“She’s my_ daughter _,” he said, trying to tamp down on his irritation, “I can’t just drop her for yer sake.”_

_“I know, and I wasn’t asking you to,” he sighed, “I just didn’t realise how much of a commitment it would be. I want to have a boyfriend I can actually do things with, without finding a babysitter first.”_

_Atsumu curled his hands into fists before forcibly relaxing them. “Well I refuse to neglect my daughter just because ya can’t deal with me havin’ other priorities.”_

_“So that’s that?”_

_“That’s that.”_

* * *

Atsumu hadn’t been planning to go back to the museum that same week, but he found himself drawn towards it anyway. With Akiko happily spending time with her favourite (and only) uncle, he had a day to himself. It was nice to get extra sleep, yes, but also strangely lonely to not have her babbling in his ear the minute he set foot in the kitchen.

He shook the feeling off, trying not to already miss his daughter as he threw together a lazy breakfast and considered what to do with his day off.

What had been planned as a simple walk to just enjoy the city and clear his head ended with him back inside the museum, paying for an entry ticket. He then managed to catch Sakusa’s eye the moment he looked through some exhibits he hadn’t seen the last time.

“Ahh, you’ve returned,” the anthropologist said with a smile, “no daughter in tow?”

“She’s stayin’ with her uncle,” he chuckled, gazing up at the stegosaurus skeleton she had been so enamoured with last time, “busy day?”

Sakusa shrugged. “It hasn’t been bad so far. You enjoyed the exhibits last time, I presume?”

“Oh definitely, plus…” he considered his next words, “there were some I wanted to see again.”

The man blushed.

Victory. 

Atsumu grinned at him. “So, any exhibits I should check out before I go?”

“Oh, yes-”

Visiting the museum was always nice, but as he quickly discovered, having a very pretty guide to explain the exhibits made it an even better experience than normal. Sakusa was a welcome presence, and considering he’d paid for admission just to see him, he felt like it was fair game to ask. 

“So, I got any chance of gettin’ yer number?” he piped up, appreciating how Sakusa spluttered slightly again. The anthropologist scrutinised him a moment, then pulled his phone out of his pocket, ears turning pink.

“I suppose so.”

He arrived home with a blinding grin taking up most of his face, a new contact in his phone, and a lunch date arranged for Friday.

_This could so easily go wrong,_ his mind whispered traitorously at him, shattering his happy mood _. He could be another asshole who asks you to put him over Akiko, or who complains that they feel responsible for her. He could end up like every other person you’ve met in the last five years._

_Or he could be different_ , the more optimistic part of him chimed in. _He was good with her the other day, plus even when we were flirting, he never treated her existence like a burden. And he asked questions about her with legitimate interest-_

_And I’m almost definitely getting ahead of myself,_ he chuckled to himself.

_Let’s just wait and see_.

* * *

Friday came entirely too fast for his liking, and his nerves must have shown, since Osamu gave him an odd look when he stopped by to drop off some stuff.

“Ya alright? Ya look kinda stressed.”

“I’m fine, don’t worry,” he muttered, aware of how completely his words were undermined by how he was wringing his hands. He was set to meet up with Sakusa in just under an hour, and though the guy had only been sweet and cute until that point, he had no idea whether or not he should bother pursuing anything.

If nothing else they might be able to get a one-night stand out of it. He wouldn’t exactly be opposed to such; taking care of Akiko was a full-time job. It didn’t leave much room to have fun.

“Anyways, I gotta go,” Atsumu said after weaselling a few more minutes of conversation out of his brother, checking his watch anxiously and hoping that his clothes hadn’t gotten too rumpled in the meanwhile.

“See ya,” Osamu said, tone blatantly curious as his eyes followed Atsumu out the door.

He felt jittery and slightly lightheaded the entire walk there, having to take a deep, calming breath before he approached the café Sakusa had mentioned in his messages. He hadn’t felt so nervous about a date in ages. Even if it would only be brief – Atsumu would need to leave at 3 to pick Akiko up from school anyway – he was drumming his fingers anxiously on his thighs as he lingered outside the storefront, scanning the nearby crowds for unruly black hair.

His efforts were rewarded; just a moment later, the now familiar anthropologist was jogging up to him, hair slightly ruffled and eyes wide.

“Hey, sorry I’m late, I had a tour group that wanted to know _everything_ about the Mesolithic period.” He said, looking a little awkward before Atsumu grinned at him.

“Oh, no worries, really, I had to stop and visit my brother anyways.”

“Ahh, do you just have the one sibling?” Sakusa asked as he opened the door, letting Atsumu in first before following him.

“Yup, we’re twins so I reckon we were more than enough fer our poor parents,” he chuckled as they lined up to order food and drinks. “Have ya got any siblings?”

“Oh, yes, two older sisters. They’re a lot older than me, though, eight and ten years respectively, so I essentially got all the benefits of being an only child,” he explained before Atsumu stepped up to order. “I do wish we were closer in age, though. I imagine having a twin meant you never got lonely.”

“Oh yeah, never. ‘Samu and I were practically attached at the hip every day until we hit high school,” he laughed. “It’d be real different with siblings that are way older than ya, though.”

“It was, but I’m very close with one of my first cousins, so that helped a lot…”

It only took a few minutes for Atsumu’s nerves to dispel themselves completely and relax into his seat. Sakusa was a little reserved, but talkative enough once they got onto the right subjects. He had a sharp and wry sense of humour that had Atsumu letting out his most unattractive laugh in his amusement. The time bled by quickly, _too_ quickly, and it wasn’t until his eyes strayed to the clock for the first time since they’d arrived that he realised.

“Ahh, shit I gotta go pick up Akiko, sorry,” he said with an apologetic grin. Sakusa shrugged.

“Don’t apologise,” he said sincerely, “I…um, I enjoyed myself a lot.”

Atsumu felt warmth unfurl in his stomach. “I did too.”

“So…I, uh, I’ll text you?” Sakusa said, eyes trained on his empty coffee mug as Atsumu smiled.

“Sounds great,” he said honestly, gaining a gentle smile in return.

“Ya seem happy, Daddy,” Akiko said later, after he’d strapped her securely into her carseat. “Oooh! Did you see the princess again today?” Atsumu chuckled. He had let her know what he was doing, mostly in case things did end up going well between him and Sakusa. She had been positively enraptured with the idea that he would be going out with, as she had said, ‘a princess’.

“I did,” he said, chest warming just at the thought of the other man. “Not sure I’ll see him again, though. But anyways, how was yer day?”

* * *

The next month and a half was beyond blissful.

He and Sakusa took things slowly, mostly going out on dates or spending free time together. Atsumu earned a kiss on their third date, a late-night make-out session on a park bench on their fifth, and a bit of heavy petting in the darkened doorway of Sakusa’s apartment the time after that. They never went any further than that, mainly because Atsumu had time constraints to stick with where babysitters for Akiko were concerned, but Sakusa didn’t seem to mind.

But even with how well things were going, he still hung back cautiously. He had gotten his hopes too high up more than once, and to be disappointed by someone like Sakusa might be just what turned him off dating permanently. He cut himself off from kisses after a certain point, made sure not to get too eager for dates, and held back from letting himself take too much of Sakusa’s warmth for himself.

So far, things were going well. But Atsumu knew how quickly that could change, so he stayed cautious. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d been turned down from a long-term relationship simply because of the commitment that Akiko brought with her.

But there was no way to tell whether or not Sakusa was willing to take that commitment. Until, at least, the day arrived that he and the other had planned to go check out a new Lebanese restaurant downtown. He had been looking forward to it, until Akiko had wandered out of her room at about noon and complained of a sore stomach.

Less than an hour later had seen her heaving into the toilet bowl as Atsumu patted her back and gently pinned her hair back with her favourite clips, lamenting that elementary schools were such cesspools of bacteria.

“I could come over and take care of her?” Osamu said after Atsumu had wrangled her into bed and sent an apologetic text to Sakusa with a brief explanation as to why he couldn’t come. “Ya were really lookin’ forward to this, after all.”

“Ya hate vomit, Samu,” he chuckled. “Nah, I’ll be right. He didn’t seem mad.”

“He better not,” Osamu grumbled, making him laugh slightly. As happy as his brother had been to hear that he’d found someone, he was just as wary as Atsumu was of whether Sakusa would be happy to stick by both him _and_ Akiko. He jumped slightly as his phone vibrated with a text, pulling it away from his ear and looking at it curiously.

It was a text from Sakusa, asking for his address. “Uh, he just asked me where I live.”

“Maybe he’s gonna come kill ya. Better give it to him.”

“Dick,” Atsumu hissed at his phone after glancing down to the hall to ensure Akiko was still tucked away and napping in bed, “I doubt it’s anythin’ weird, considerin’ that I know where _he_ lives.”

“Too much information,” Osamu said, sounding disgusted as Atsumu texted Sakusa back with his address and a question mark. “Maybe he wanna make sure that ya ain’t just bailin’ on him.”

“Like I’d do that,” he grumbled before another text popped up. “He…said he’ll be over in twenty?”

“Good fuckin’ luck,” Osamu cackled, “guess ya’ll see what kinda guy he is, anyway.”

“Ehh, fuck off,” he muttered, hanging up on his brother’s continued laughter, and checking on Akiko again. He pressed the back of his hand against her forehead, checking it worriedly. She hadn’t developed any kind of fever, but he was checking consistently anyway. Call it parental hysteria.

He was so absorbed in ensuring that Akiko’s room had good circulation, enough blankets piled on the bed, and that her hair was carefully pulled back, that he almost didn’t hear the knock on the door. The sound made him jump slightly, and he set down the plastic cup of water he’d grabbed for her on her side table before slipping out into the entryway.

Sakusa stood on the other side of the door with a bag of groceries in each hand and his hair slightly messy. Atsumu blinked at him in confusion. “Uhh, hey…?”

“Sorry for barging over,” he said as Atsumu let him in, lifting the bags he was holding, “but I thought I may be able to help out a little,” he set his bags down as Atsumu stared uncomprehendingly at him, “I went to the pharmacy and got some electrolyte replacements, ibuprofen and a thermometer just in case. And I figured she would need some plain food for when she can digest again so I also stopped by the supermarket to get some rice and plain crackers.” He straightened up, fiddling with his hands. “Uhh, I didn’t mean to intrude, though-”

Atsumu shut him up with a kiss, pulling away when he found himself smiling against the other man’s mouth too much. “Thank you.”

“It’s no worry,” Sakusa said, scooping up the bags again and heading to the kitchen. “I also grabbed some stuff that we can make, if you haven’t eaten yet.”

“I haven’t,” Atsumu said, trying to resist the urge to press Sakusa to the bench and take him then and there. “Yer too good to me.”

Sakusa chuckled. “How do you feel about soba?”

“Very positively.”

They kept up a low string of chatter as they moved about the kitchen preparing the food. They were interrupted about halfway through the process by small, pattering feet. Atsumu looked up as Akiko appeared in the doorway, looking pale but not actively nauseous, rubbing her eyes.

“Heya, Aki,” he said, bending down to reach her eyes, smiling sympathetically when she held out her arms, clearly asking for a hug. He scooped her up, holding her close. “Ya feelin’ any better?”

“Hrnpf,” she groaned, making him chuckle slightly.

“Oi,” he said softly, rotating them so she could see Sakusa. “Look who came to see how ya were doin’.”

She blinked blearily, her face breaking into a small grin when she saw him. “Princess!”

“Hi Akiko-chan,” Sakusa said, eyes crinkled with a smile of his own. “I’m sorry to hear that you’re all sick.”

“’s okay. ‘m tough,” she yawned, tugging on Atsumu’s hair. “Wanna sleep, Daddy.”

“Okay, then let’s get ya back to bed, hmm?” she nodded, already half dozing off against his shoulder as he walked her down to the hall and got her snuggled back into bed. He washed his hands thoroughly before returning to the kitchen again, noting Sakusa’s soft smile.

“She really is sweet,” he said, before frowning, “I always hate seeing people sick, though. Especially kids.”

“Yeah, agreed,” he chuckled as they served the soba into two bowls and sat down by the dining table, scooping the noodles into his mouth with relish. “Damn, yer good at cooking, too? How the fuck’s that fair?”

Sakusa laughed, going back to his own noodles. “I’m just well-practiced, I suppose. I’m sure you’re good too, though, since you cook for Akiko?”

“Oh nah, she’s gonna wake up one day and realise my food is all terrible,” he laughed, “until then, though, I’ll take the compliments.”

“Hmm,” Sakusa hummed with a smile, pausing when they heard the distant sound of gagging and coughing. “Oh, that doesn’t sound good.” Atsumu sighed, moving to get to his feet before being shoved back down by Sakusa’s hand on his shoulder. “You already look tired,” the other man lectured him, “so finish the soba I so kindly made for you, and let me handle it.”

“Kiyoomi…it really ain’t yer responsibility. Ya don’t hafta-”

“I know,” Sakusa said, tone softening, “but I…like knowing both of you, alright? _Both._ To step out right when I’m needed would be kinda shitty, right?”

Atsumu stared at him, absorbing the words for a moment. They stood in such stark contrast to what most of his past partners had told him, he noted as Sakusa squeezed his shoulder and walked off in the direction of Akiko’s room. Feeling oddly numb, he silently did what Sakusa had told him to, finishing the bowl before the other man wandered back into the room, smelling of fresh cleaning products, and slid back into his own seat with a smile.

“Kiyoomi…why?” he asked quietly. Sakusa glanced up at him, sighing slightly.

“Because I really like you,” he murmured, “and I will confess, I’ve never dated anyone with children before, but I knew the minute I saw you that you and Akiko were a package deal. So, every time I thought about what I wanted with you, I always made sure to think about her being there, too.”

Atsumu stared at him, blinking back tears before reaching over the table and intertwining their hands.

“Yer too good to me.”

* * *

Kiyoomi ended up staying the entire night, the two of them passing out together on the couch, taking turns (after Kiyoomi insisted) checking on Akiko. Atsumu saw him off with another deep, gentle kiss, and an actual label to put on their relationship. He watched his boyfriend go with an exhausted smile on his face.

Akiko, thankfully, recovered that day, happily eating her way through the food Kiyoomi had brought and running around outside with vigour now that she was no longer constrained to bed. He called Osamu as he cleaned the kitchen and watched her play through the window, laying out the events of the night before with a voice that shook slightly.

“Damn,” his brother said once he’d finished his explanation, “I’ll be honest with ya Tsumu, I was kinda hesitant about this guy at first, but…” Osamu paused, sighing after a moment, “bring him to the shop one day, yeah?”

Atsumu just grinned, glad that his brother had given what was essentially his nod of approval. “Will do.”

He and Kiyoomi exchanged texts and calls by the dozen, meeting up during their lunch breaks and after he had picked Akiko up from school. He brought her along one day, heart melting further when Kiyoomi indulged her request to be picked up, and kept her on his hip the entire time, alternating conversation with the two of them.

_I knew the minute I saw you that you and Akiko were a package deal_. They weren’t just words, as he had realised. It was something Kiyoomi had obviously taken to heart, and considering how happy he was to spend time with Akiko, something he was embracing, as well.

Their routines fell together with startling ease, Atsumu becoming more familiar with the museum workers as Kiyoomi also became more familiar with _his_ workplace. Three nights a week Kiyoomi graced his doorstep for dinner, more often than not bringing a story or bag of sweets for Akiko to exclaim over delightedly before Atsumu lectured her about not rotting her teeth with sugar.

He gave Kiyoomi the same look one night when the man swept in with macaroni and cheese, the meal Akiko had been clamouring for since the start of the week. Kiyoomi just smiled, unapologetic, and got to preparing it as Akiko bustled around at his feet, bouncing up and down excitedly as she waited.

“Be patient, Aki,” Atsumu reminded her with a grin as he started on his own food. It had been going on two and a half months since they’d met, but the novelty of having Kiyoomi in his house was one he didn’t think he’d get used to for a while yet.

Akiko was practically crowing with delight once Kiyoomi gave her the macaroni and cheese, inhaling it without heeding Atsumu’s warnings to slow down and then running off to take a bath. He watched her relentless energy with a fond shake of the head before moving to fix dinner.

He and Kiyoomi were a lot less energetic than Akiko, simply exchanging quiet conversation before Atsumu slipped off to put Akiko to bed. He returned to find Kiyoomi reclining on the couch, looking so at home that it made his insides melt again.

“Heya,” he said softly as he slid into the place next to Kiyoomi, tugging the other man’s legs up into his lap. “Thanks for bringing food over. _Again_.”

Kiyoomi chuckled softly, reaching over to card his hands through Atsumu’s hair. “What else am I supposed to do with all that disposable income, then?” he asked gently, smiling at him. “Though I promise I’ll bring something healthier next time.”

“Ya don’t have to, but I don’t think I can stop ya,” he murmured, leaning into the touch. “I swear yer just as much as a parent to her as I am, at this point.”

“Now _that’s_ an exaggeration,” Kiyoomi said softly, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. “You do more than I ever could.”

“Hmm, still.”

Kiyoomi was silent for a moment. “I…didn’t know if it was appropriate to ask or not, but…where…is her mother?”

Atsumu shuffled slightly, “Ahh, shoulda figured this’d come up-”

“Sorry, you don’t have to tell me-”

“It’s okay, Omi,” Atsumu laughed, reaching over to brush a finger gently over his cheek. “I can explain if ya really wanna know.”

Kiyoomi hesitated a moment, but then nodded. Atsumu smiled, leaning back against the couch and intertanged his fingers with Kiyoomi’s. “Right, well. Her name is Ryūzaki Kahori. We dated for two years when we were both in college. It was a kind of on and off thing, really. Anyway, I’m sure you can imagine what happened next. She got pregnant, I freaked out and didn’t know what to do.”

He took a moment to breathe. “She didn’t want to have an abortion, but she didn’t wanna have to raise a kid, either. I…well, I was only young, ya know, only 21, but I refused to be one of those deadbeat dads ya hear about, ya know? My parents and brother said they’d help out, so I said I’d take her. I was scared, obviously, and I didn’t think I’d be a good dad at all. I had second thoughts right up until the day she was born, actually.”

“…What changed?”

Atsumu smiled. “What changed was I saw her. Kahori handed her to me and I just…knew I’d do anything fer her. I ain’t had a regret ever since.”

“I can imagine that’s why you were uncertain about me, then.”

“Huh?”

“I noticed it, Tsumu,” Kiyoomi said gently, “it was hard not to. You always came off as the kind to jump right into everything, but…you kept me at an arm’s length for weeks and weeks.”

“Shit, I’m sor-”

“Don’t apologise,” he said gently, kissing the corner of his mouth. “I mean…if even Akiko’s _mother_ left, I can imagine that you would be wary of starting anything new with _anyone_.”

“I…yeah,” Atsumu conceded, bowing his head, “and not just her. There are so many people that won’t date someone with kids.”

“Tsumu,” Kiyoomi said gently, pulling him closer, “I don’t know what will happen between the two of us, but I can promise, if anything _did_ go wrong, it won’t be because of Akiko. I would never leave you because of her. Because you love her, and she loves you and…” he hesitated, “I’m starting to follow her lead.”

Atsumu sucked in a breath, clutching Kiyoomi to him. “Omi…”

Kiyoomi closed the distance and kissed him, gasping into his mouth when Atsumu deepened the motion. He’d refrained from getting too physically intimate with Kiyoomi so far, due to his own reservations and that doing so around Akiko would be inappropriate.

But Akiko was asleep now, tucked away in bed, and Kiyoomi was warm in his arms and against his mouth.

They separated, breathing heavily. “Should we…?”

“ _Yes._ ”

Atsumu woke the next morning with dark curls tucked under his chin, Akiko’s favourite cartoons already playing out in the living room, Kiyoomi’s warm arms around his middle, and the distinct feeling that he had finally found the person he’d always wanted.

He knew he would have to get up soon, to fix breakfast for Akiko and get on with his day. That Kiyoomi would have to go to work eventually. But for now, he nuzzled closer, basking in the warmth laying on his bare chest.

_Now this is something I want to get used to._

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hello to me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/2701Anubis), [Tumblr](https://anubis2701.tumblr.com/), or, if you're a fan of my fics generally, my [Discord Server!](https://discord.gg/VeAaGy3at9)


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